The 100mph cycle! Former world champion hopes to do ton on his bike made out of old saucepans and junk

Head first: Graeme Obree on his unusual bike, which he hopes to take above 100mph

Former world champion cyclist Graeme Obree has shown that it is not just Greek inventor Archimedes who can benefit from a long soak in the bath.

Because having dreamed up his unusual new bike while in the tub the 46-year-old hopes to use his own eureka moment to smash a land speed record.

Constructed in his one bed flat in Saltcoats, North Ayrshire, Obree has assembled the machine from bits and bobs around his home.

With homemade wheels and shoulder
rests made from an old saucepan the machine, ridden horizontally, was
assembled by Obree in an attempt to reach 100mph.

In
September he will take the bike out to Nevada, where he will build up
as much speed as possible on a long stretch of road before being timed
over 200 metres.

If, as he hopes, he manages to get his speed up to 100mph he will smash the current record of 82.8mph, set at the same site, in 2009 by Canadian cyclist Sam Whittingham.

The record would be his second, having
already claimed the world hour record in 1993, covering the longest
distance on a bike in 60 minutes - a feat also achieved on a bike made
from recycled parts from around the house.

Speaking to the Sunday Telegraph, he said: 'It is like choreographing and dancing to your own music, to
me it is a form of artistic expression.

Wheely unique: Graeme Obree with his bike, in which he lies down to get more speed

'It's a holistic approach. I'm
using old stuff – recycling a bit of bike, reusing a bit of old chairing.
It's like Scrapheap Challenge.'

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In keeping with his low budget approach Obree has only enlisted his 18-year-old son Jamie to help with the project, which has involved putting together a second bike as back up.

Once in Nevada he will be pedalling in a gear, which is believed to be around three
times higher that top gear on an average road racing bike and will require double the pedal power of a
conventional bike.

Re-cycler: Graeme Obree has used an old saucepan to put shoulder rests on his bike while other bits and bobs from his kitchen have been used from the frame

He told the Telegraph: 'You just roll it and go up through the gears. If you get into the top
gear you are already doing 80mph.

'I find
myself in a win, win situation. In a lot of ways, my message would be more
powerful if I don't get this record because it's OK to have a vision and
just go for it. A lot of people don't do things for the fear of 'what if I
don't manage it.

'My biggest fear is not crashing on a bike and losing some skin. It's
sitting in a chair at 90 and saying, 'I wish I had done more'. I don't know
if I will break the record but I will give it the best punt I can.'

Heyday: Obree in action during the individual pursuit in 1994

Following his world record in 1993 he claimed a second world individual pursuit championship leading to rivals such as Chris
Boardman trying to assemble their own homemade bikes before they were outlawed.

His cycling career, as well as his long battle with depression, was then brought to the big screen
in the 2006 film, The Flying Scotsman.

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Re-cyclist! Former world champion hopes to reach 100mph on his bike made out of old saucepans and junk